Monday, 27 September 2010

WARNING: This is too long for a blog entry. I know, but I really like my dad.

I missed last weekend's roundup as my dad arrived in Berlin on Monday and I haven't had time to post anything but fashion tidbits since. I took some time off work to hang out with my pops and although you would think that would mean a little r&r, nope, not with that guy. Getting older means slowing down for some people, right? Well, my Dad is keeping up if not leading the best of us when it comes to getting the most out of a city in a small amount of time. He and his little map took me to historical parts of Berlin I never even knew existed and I was a tourist once again. Sorry to all my friends who have visited, apparently you did not get the whole tour.

We ended up walking around so much that by the end (or maybe even middle) of each day my feet hurt and my legs ached, yet I woke up early (even earlier than I would for work!) and did it again each day. Minus the clubs and bars, my Dad pretty much saw all you can see in this fair city. And fair it actually was — the four days my Dad was here were sunny and warm, probably the best weather Berlin has seen in months. Can you believe it? Up until the day my Dad arrived, it had been gray and rainy and has of course gone back to it since he left. I can just hear what he will say to me every time I complain about the terrible Berlin weather from now on... But I wouldn't take it back for a second, I think we ate almost every one of our meals outside. I even got to wear my favorite article of clothing, shorts!

But by the time he left on Friday I was completely exhausted, physically and emotionally, and just sad to see him go. Sometimes after a parent visits there is a sense of relief when you can go back to your life and quit entertaining, conforming, justifying, clarifying (or whatever mode your 'rents force you into). But even though we get on each others' nerves only the way family can, having my dad around gave me a kind of happiness I don't get too often here in Berlin — the pure comfort and trust of having known someone forever. We talked about family, life, politics, love, all with the city of Berlin as our backdrop. If there is anyone who is looking out for me in this world, it is certainly my dad. He (and the rest of my family) mean more to me than just about anyone and this trip meant a lot for us both in many ways.

Not only was it the first time in my adult life that my dad spent four days in my world, my world happens to be a world that collides with his in a way that none of us would have ever expected a few years ago. While we were here my dad got to see the apartment his mother grew up in before she escaped Germany during WWII when she was just 13 years old. We all wish we knew more about her time with her parents as a young girl, but those memories were not often shared. Seeing the home and the city where they took place was an obviously emotional event for my dad, and it would have never happened if his daughter hadn't of fallen in love with a German and decided to move to her grandmother's hometown. Funny how some things come full circle. And on that note, my Dad also got to meet my boyfriend for the first time...and it went better than I ever could have expected. In my Dad's words "I am so happy that Megan found such a good fellow." Yup, my dad is the kind of guy who says "fellow" and I love him for that, among many other things. Here is a peek at his trip and what I wore of course.

My step mom, the lovely Jackie, joined us for a day before she went to Sweden to visit a friend.

The German History Museum

The Holocaust Memorial

My dad in front of his mom's home in Charlottennburg.

You can take the S-Bahn 30 minutes and be at beautiful lake like Schlachtensee.